Smokies' Win Streak at Five After 13-3 Romp Over Huntsville Sunday
August 8, 2010 - Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release
KODAK, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies continued their winning ways Sunday afternoon with a 13-3 dismantling over the Huntsville Stars at Smokies Park, their fifth win in a row. The win puts Tennessee (27-16, 69-43) three games ahead of Huntsville (24-19, 57-56) for first in the Southern League North second-half race.
Tennessee didn't blink after Huntsville put two runs up on the board in the top of the first. The Smokies really didn't have to even swing the bat as Huntsville starter Mark Rogers issued four consecutive one-out walks to bring in Tennessee's first run of the game. Walks would be an issue all night long for the Stars as their pitchers walked nine Tennessee hitters on the night.
Down 2-1 and with one out in the first, Tennessee would tie the game up on a passed ball by Huntsville's Dayton Buller. Brandon Guyer then delivered the first big blow of the game for Tennessee as he took Rogers (5-8) deep to left, giving the Smokies a 5-2 lead.
The early onslaught continued for the Smokies. Brett Jackson hit his fourth home run of the year in the second, a solo shot to right off Rogers to pad Tennessee's lead to 6-2. Nate Samson made it 7-2 in the third on a sacrifice fly, scoring Steve Clevenger.
After allowing the two early runs, Chris Rusin coasted through the next five innings. In total, he would scatter eight hits over six innings of work, allowing only the two runs and striking out four. Rusin (1-1) would not walk a single batter in picking up his first win of the year.
Huntsville's run off Smokies reliever Kyle Smit in the top of the eighth cut Tennessee's lead to 7-3, but all it really did was awaken the Smokies offense once more. A six-run bottom of the eighth for the Smokies, anchored by Tony Thomas' three-run shot that landed in the Budweiser Party Deck in left, put the game out of reach at 13-3.
The Smokies look to put their win streak at six Monday at 7:15 at Smokies Park vs. Huntsville. Craig Muschko (6-3, 3.88) gets the start for Tennessee and will square off against Huntsville's Amaury Rivas (10-5, 2.86). Tickets can be purchased at www.smokiesbaseball.com or by calling (865) 286-2300.
Southern League Stories from August 8, 2010
- Suns Reclaim First Place with Sunday Win - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Jacksonville Teeters Back into First by Bouncing BayBears - Mobile BayBears
- Smokies' Win Streak at Five After 13-3 Romp Over Huntsville Sunday - Knoxville Smokies
- Five run 2nd inning propels Braves to victory - Mississippi Braves
- Diamond Jaxx Hang On For 8-7 Win Sunday - Jackson Generals
- Promising 9th-Inning Rally Falls Short - Montgomery Biscuits
- Costanzo's Homer in 10th Lifts Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- OF Felix Perez Activated - Carolina Mudcats
- IF Eric Eymann Heads up to Louisville - Carolina Mudcats
- 18-Hit Outburst Routs Jaxx - Montgomery Biscuits
- Montgomery tallies 18 hits in 9-1 win over Diamond Jaxx - Jackson Generals
- BayBears Win Opener, Overtake Suns in Division - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
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